This invention relates generally to a cup for needle bearings and, more particularly, to a cup configuration enhancing lubrication of the needle rollers.
The movement of a shaft running in a needle bearing cup can be limited in the axial direction by the inner side of the bottom of the needle cup. The same applies to a needle cup when it is arranged projecting on one end of the shaft in the manner of a running or supporting roll or as a substitute for a connecting rod.
Previously, needle cups have been known with thrust disks arranged on the inner side of the cup bottom which are provided with lubricating grooves to receive lubricant (DE-G 90 07 248.0-U1). Needle cups with depressions, in particular waffle-like depressions, on the inner side of the cup bottom are also known (FR-PS 2 489 906). In all these cases, there is indeed a lubricating effect between the cup bottom and the end of the shaft. However, the axial thrust behavior between the end face of the shaft and the cup bottom has previously not been given further consideration.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present devices and methods. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to optimizing the axial thrust behavior of the end face of the shaft in relation to the cup bottom as well as other limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.